From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
A study “the Consumer’s Market for Family Planning (CM4FP)” conducted by Society for Family Health (SFH), has shown that most women in Kaduna State bypass outlets close to them to access FP services due to their privacy needs.
CM4FP research was funded by Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation implemented by SFH in partnership with Population Services and the Federal Ministry of Health.
The study which was conducted in some selected communities in Kaduna state and three other states (Lagos, Abia and Niger) is a pilot insight into FP supply and demand from the perspective of consumers in Nigeria.
The findings of the study which were presented during a dissemination meeting with critical stakeholders in Kaduna at the weekend showed that proximity and service quality top considerations driving consumers’ choice of family planning outlets.
This study tested the feasibility and utility of a range of novel approaches to capture information on the total family planning market in selected – mainly urban – locations in the aforementioned states.
Speaking during the multi-stakeholders dissemination meeting in Kaduna, Practice Area Lead for Reproductive Health. SFH, Dr Nwala Anthony added that the survey was designed for four (4) rounds (one per quarter) of data collection.
But due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the research was concluded in round 3, the medical expert intimated his listeners.
“The research carried out a multi-round longitudinal family planning outlet census with an accompanying repeated cross-sectional household survey that allows for direct linking of family planning users to the outlets where they recently obtained their most recent family planning method”, he said.
Nwala noted that the study was meant to influence development in the FP sector in Nigeria and further spark up discussions on the state and other stakeholders to take action and expand research in that area.
“The purpose of this research is to elicit factors that the state government and other stakeholders can look out for to help improve FP in the state.
“So the first thing is to find out why women go out to get these services and from our interactions with them, the issue of privacy and confidentiality matter to them a lot.
“What this means is that government should look at the capacity building of the providers in all the service delivery points.
“There should be more youth-friendly training for providers. They should be trained on more quality service delivery. As I said, privacy and confidentiality are issues. Women should be able to have confidence in the providers around and whatever is secret to them should be kept secret for them”. Dr Nwala added.
Earlier, Commissioner, Ministry of Health, Kaduna, Dr Amina Muhammad Baloni, who spoke through the Director Planning and Research in the ministry, Sunday Joseph, commended SFH for the study and assured of the state government commitment to improving FP programmes in the state.
Already, Kaduna is one of the few states that has consecutively earmarked budget lines for family planning or childbirth spacing as popularly called in the state in its annual budget.